Madam Speaker, today is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. I want to thank all of those organizations, including Independent Living Canada, for organizing the eighth annual celebrations in this capital. I want to thank the Council of Canadians with Disabilities and many other organizations for driving this agenda and ensuring we can advance the state of affairs toward full inclusion for all people living with disabilities.

Today is a day to recommit ourselves to take action and that means ensuring that the UN Convention on Rights for Persons with Disabilities is ratified by our country. We applaud the fact that the government today took a first step toward doing that by tabling a document. I think you will find, Madam Speaker, that there is probably unanimous consent by everyone in the House to ensure this document is passed immediately and sent to New York to complete the ratification process.

This is a day of which to be proud. It is also a day to stand up and fight to ensure full equality for people living with disabilities.

Madam Speaker, the safety of our children is our government's top priority. Since taking office, we have been delivering results to keep our families safe. We are putting law-abiding families first and criminals behind bars.

However, the Liberals and their weak leader have held up and watered down our legislation. Liberal senators stalled stiffer sentences for drug dealers who target kids. They tried to gut our two for one sentencing bill.

Now Bill C-6 languishes in the Senate. This bill would modernize product safety laws that have not been updated in forty years. It would bring us more in line with American and European standards, and protect the most vulnerable, including our children. However, the Liberals are working against these measures by stalling them with their unelected Senate majority.

This bill has been in the Senate for six months and before committee for two months, but Canadians are still waiting. The Liberal leaders come and go, but the dithering and failing never change. Canadians deserve better.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the special delegation of the judicial committee and law committee of the national assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam who are here on Parliament Hill today and tomorrow.

The purpose of their visit is to enhance their understanding about the justice system and legislative process in Canada, with specific emphasis on the role of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, the codification of laws, as well as commercial arbitration and execution of a criminal judgment.

This occasion also provides parliamentarians an opportunity to share information, discuss issues of mutual concern, and strengthen our bilateral relations.

The Canada-Vietnam Parliamentary Friendship Group plays an important role in the development of parliamentary relations between Canada and Vietnam. It is important that we continue to nurture and strengthen our diplomatic relations, which are now 36 years old.

I am delighted that they are here today. Colleagues from all parties attended a working lunch which was very productive.

Madam Speaker, just last week a Canadian company recalled over two million baby cribs. It was the largest ever such recall in North America. This is exactly the kind of occurrence our government is trying to prevent.

Recently, Health Canada introduced a bill with the intent to protect the public by addressing dangers to human health and safety posed by consumer products, like these cribs, in Canada.

Bill C-6 was passed unanimously by elected officials of this House. Currently, however, the bill is being delayed and potentially gutted by Liberal senators.

Why is it when the House passes a bill unanimously, the Liberal members of the Senate hold it up? Where is the leadership in the Liberal Party? Why is the Liberal leader not stepping in to ensure Canadians have the protections provided by Bill C-6?

Madam Speaker, it is with great pride that I pay tribute today to a farm family in Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague in my riding of Beauharnois—Salaberry, the family of Roch Montcalm and the late Corona Maheu.

On December 2, they were named the farm family of the year by the Fondation de la famille terrienne at the UPA annual general meeting.

The Montcalm farm, established in 1922 by Joseph, Roch Montcalm's father, is a dairy farm with 150 of its 300 Holstein cows producing 11,000 kilos of milk per year.

The Montcalm family has passed down its love of the land through four generations. Theirs is a model of farm management that is efficient and environmentally friendly. They are very involved in farmers' unions and their community. I am very proud of this family and I wanted to officially congratulate them.

Madam Speaker, yesterday, our government presented its fourth report on the implementation of the economic action plan. Just 10 months after the implementation of the economic action plan, the government has already committed 97% of the funds announced, for a total of 12,000 projects throughout the country, including 8,000 that are already underway.

Our government is taking action for Quebeckers and Canadians. From coast to coast, projects are underway, jobs are being created, and communities are reaping the benefits. Here are some more measures from the economic action plan: we have lowered taxes for Canadian families and businesses; we have helped workers with additional employment insurance benefits and training; we have invested in research and higher education.

The effects are positive and encouraging. Canada's economy is stabilizing and has started to recover.

Madam Speaker, December 3 marks the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities.

This observance promotes a fuller understanding of disability issues and the human rights of persons with disabilities. The day provides an opportunity to work toward the goal of full and equal enjoyment of human rights and participation in society by persons with disabilities, established by the world programme of action concerning disabled persons, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1982.

This year's theme, “Empowering persons with disabilities and their communities around the world”, recognizes the tremendous potential of the new Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as a mechanism for the empowerment of the global disability community.

In my riding of Ottawa South, I continue to be inspired by dynamic, positive community leaders, and advocates for the disabled as they work together to ensure the full participation in society of persons with disabilities. It is simply an honour to rise to speak on their behalf on this important day.

Madam Speaker, today we received more good news for the Canadian economy.

Following meetings between our Prime Minister and the premier of China, a number of important agreements have been reached with the Chinese government in terms of Canadian pork, climate change, cultural exchanges and approved destination status.

Approved destination status will open the door to more Chinese citizens who wish to visit our country. It allows us to market our unique and beautiful country as a top destination to one of the largest outbound tourist markets in the world. The UNWTO reported that by 2020, China would have around 100 million outbound tourists annually.

In 2010 we will be showcasing Canada to the world with the Olympic Games, and the G8 and G20 summits. The approved destination status agreement will help Canada further capitalize on these opportunities and bring more tourists from China to visit our hotels, restaurants and attractions.

This is another example of our Prime Minister representing Canada on the world stage and strengthening our economic ties with this important market.

The Nortel fat cats skimmed off $45 million this past March, and then hoovered down another $7.8 million in bonuses as a Christmas gift to themselves. Meanwhile, Nortel pensioners have been left out in the cold.

Abitibi pensioners are crying for help.

Where are the Tories? They are nowhere. Of course, we will hear Tory MPs attacking and insulting the homeless, but when it comes to standing up to executive privilege, it is the old boys' club. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink. Say no more.

The New Democrats say it is time that we put pensioners, not executives, at the front of the line when companies go bankrupt. We are calling on all parties to work with New Democrats to protect pensions, to get rid of these fat cat bonuses, protect pensions, protect disability pensions, and pay severance to laid-off workers.

Canada's economic action plan is stimulating the economy, creating jobs for Canadians, and protecting those hit hardest by the economic downturn.

Just 10 months into our two year plan, our government has already committed 97% of our plan, adding up to 12,000 projects across the country. Eight thousand have already begun.

Our efforts are having a positive effect and communities across the land are seeing the benefits.

The OECD recently projected that Canada will have the second strongest growth among G7 countries in 2010 and the strongest G7 growth in 2011.

While our economy is recovering, it remains fragile. We will remain focused on fighting the recession and on helping Canadians.

We know that the opposition will throw mud and smear our accomplishments, but we will not be stopped from delivering on our promises. We will stay the course and fully implement Canada's economic action plan.

Mr. Speaker, right now and over the next few days, the Montreal Canadiens hockey team is celebrating its 100th anniversary. This team has aroused the passion of Quebeckers on more than one occasion, whether due to its great rivalry with the now defunct Nordiques, or because of its 24 Stanley Cup victories, which is still an all-time record.

Quebec's love affair with hockey is nothing new. During this 100th anniversary, Quebec is proudly commemorating great legends like Maurice Richard, Jean Béliveau, Guy Lafleur, and so many others, who were closely watched by all their fans during their glory years.

The history of the Habs deserves to be commended as a model of pride, talent and success. On behalf of my Bloc Québécois colleagues, I hail this anniversary with full confidence in the future of the sport in Quebec.

Mr. Speaker, November 25 to December 6 are days of activism against gender violence. The purpose is to condemn all forms of violence against women.

We would be remiss if we failed to mention the fact that the Conservative government has been victimizing Canadian women by eroding the progress they have made.

Since coming to power, the Conservatives have mounted a constant assault against women. They have cancelled agreements with the provinces on preschool education and daycares, hindered the movement toward pay equity, gutted the court challenges program, reduced funding for literacy programs, silenced women's groups seeking equality and ignored the criticism of international groups.

The Prime Minister even went so far as to call everyone participating in the fight for women's equality “left-wing fringe groups”.

It is high time the government stopped treating women, who make up more than half of the Canadian population, like a special interest group and started giving them the power and the tools they need to advance their cause.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, under the weak leadership of their leader, Liberal senators voted to amend 16 clauses of our consumer protection bill, Bill C-6. This has made the bill dysfunctional and considerably weakens it.

Canadians, many of them parents, have less protection today thanks to the Liberals. While they are shopping for gifts to put under the tree, they can thank the weak leadership of the Liberals for making sure the bad actors, those people who normally sell bad products, are the winners in this. Shame on them.

The bill was designed to give us the tools to quickly respond to dangerous consumer products. Instead, the Liberals have given the devious the tools to keep selling these products to Canadians. The Liberal leader needs to wake up and lead his party, not follow it. He should wake up and instruct the Liberal senators to vote against these amendments and pass this bill.